September 2020 > A MonthlyNewsletter > For private circulation only

Action for good Governance & Networking in India

Forward This To All - And All Forward - Together Project Mumbai receives United Bharat Utthan Sangh strives for Editorial Nations award – An interview with Shishir Joshi the poor Pamela Cheema The Digital MMJ he affable soft spoken nprecedented times d u r i n g TRajesh Juhukar who runs t is now 25 years since the Uevoke unprecedented t h e New Reliable Medical Store in IInternet was established in responses and solutions. In a Coronavi Juhu is more than just the our country. Since then pandemic which has returned rus crisis. friendly neighborhood go-to technology has leapfrogged after a century and viciously “ T h r e e guy who helps you with your and become a dominant aspect shaken the world to its n o n - daily medical supplies. He is of our lives today. Earlier we had foundations, there have been p r o f i t desktop computers, then innumerable courageous organizations received this arrived laptops and now we interventions to mitigate the award from India,” says Shishir have every feature of a unspeakable distress and Joshi, the founder and CEO of computer on our smart phones. agony of the people. Whether the organization. “Ours was the Nowadays due to Covid-19 NGOs or civil society members only non-profit which was many are working from home also a concerned Juhu citizen who contributed in an almost selected from the western and technology has helped who interacts with local unstoppable flow to alleviate region.” The United Nations has people to work from anywhere authorities on a variety of the misery of the people, chosen 50 such organizations in the world. This trend is urgent issues and is committed increasing with seminars and indefatigable efforts have been across the world for their to helping the needy. conferences also being held made in this crisis to uplift, exemplary humanitarian work Rajesh is actively involved online without the need to step even if it is only in a small way, in this crisis. “There was no jury with the Bharat Utthan Sangh out of the home. Thanks to the those marginalised sections of member from India on the headed by Advocate Rakesh m i n d b o g g l i n g j u m p i n our society which are the committee which selected the Singh, also a Juhu resident. The technology. backbone of the Indian award winners. Nor do we Bharat Utthan Sangh (BUS) MMJ was published only as a economy. know if we will receive any team has been proactively print edition since its inception. One such significant effort is citation or cash award,” says working for more than 15 years Later we started circulating the Project Mumbai, a non-profit Joshi. pdf of the print edition through on a variety of projects like which received on July 17 the Shishir Joshi has worked for emails and WhatsApp to reach helping needy students, senior United Nations Sustainable non-profits for 11 years and out to most Mumbaikars. The citizens, keeping Juhu beach Development Goals (SDG) was the youngest CEO of the print edition had four columns safe and clean, working for the Action Solidarity Award 2020 well-known NGO, Bombay to a page, with four pages betterment Contd. on Page 4 comprising an issue of the for its humanitarian work First. His Contd, on Page 4 newsletter every month. Many readers did draw our attention Any work from home, ideas to help Mumbaikers? to the fact that it was difficult to Ajit Balakrishnan read MMJ with four columns on s the world, and all of us in had by then become, I guess in a mobile phone. The only Mumbai struggle to come an attempt to shrug off its solution to this was to bring out A colonial origins) is also where I a digital edition along with the to terms with the new reality of founded Rediff.com in 1995, as print edition. Working from Home imposed Thanks to Rodney D'Souza, a on us by Covid-19, my thoughts the first internet website on the former AGNI member, we turn to AGNI and my con- South Asian sub-continent. prepared a digital edition of the nection with Mumbai. Often when I speak at tech August MMJ issue as a trial. After collecting my degree conferences I am asked where I Having succeeded, we decided from the Indian Institute of am from, I instinctively answer, that henceforth we will publish Management Calcutta in 1971, "Bombay". Seconds later, the East). Equally, I often both the print as well as the I boarded a train (third class wanting to be truthful, I correct wonder why I have come to digital edition. While the digital sleeper) and headed for myself and say that I was born think of Bombay as my edition is easy to read on mobile "Bombay" determined to be an and spent my early years in a hometown. Arithmetically phones, the print edition entrepreneur. Within a year or small town call Kannur on the speaking, it is true: I have lived appeals to the reader because so of my arrival in Bombay I, Malabar coast (incidentally, in Bombay 47 years and in of its attractive layout. with two other friends founded Kannur was where Vasco da Kannur only 20-odd. I guess Thus from this month Rediffusion, an ad agency that Gama first arrived, the event because it was for me, like for onwards readers will receive which heralded the first many others, the city that both versions and can choose succeeded instantly. Mumbai (that's what Bombay contact between the West and helped me contd. on Page 4 which one to read. MMJ Austin Nazareth 2 Mumbai Meri Jaan September 2020 Juhu in Covid times Independence Day Flag Hoisting Zahida Banatwala At IC Church Willie Shirsat he Covid-19 pandemic is Tbeing witnessed by people C parish has regularly Dadabhai Naoroji, Maulana across the world for the first Iorganized Independence Day Azad, etc. time in their lives. Mumbai, celebrations for the last two Paying the deepest tributes to which has experienced riots, decades. This year it was also Mahatma Gandhi, he also floods, bomb blasts and many organized jointly with the r e c a l l e d p a s s i o n a t e l y other natural and man-made Bombay Catholic Sabha. J awaharlal Nehru and his calamities is faced with yet F a t h e r O n i e l w a s t h e famous 'Tryst with destiny' another. But citizens have risen commentator while Father speech soon after the country to the occasion and one has Harry Vaz was the Chief Guest. I won its independence, Annie heard of help pouring in from escorted him to the dais where Besant and a whole host of every corner of the city to he delivered a rousing speech. freedom fighters of diverse strengthen the government. Father Harry recalled India's cultural backgrounds, religion In Juhu, particularly K(West) ancient history and civilization, a n d e d u cat i o n w h o by constituency 165, positive situation. Through these kind its famous epics like the contributing to the struggle for cases were reported in large donors' rations were provided R a m a y a n a a n d t h e independence, retrieved the numbers. While the BMC was to Gurudwaras where meals Mahabharat, the enlightening soul of India. busy organising quarantine were cooked and supplied philosophy of the Upanishads Father Harry concluded his centres, testing slum pockets, throughout the area so that no and the great and visionary speech with an invocation and sanitizing various areas, the one went to sleep hungry. social reformers and freedom the Vote of Thanks was given by elected representatives had Renu Hansraj personally f i g hte rs w h o st r u g g l e d Lenny of the Bombay Catholic the difficult task of managing donated money to run a selflessly for India's freedom Sabha. ration kits, medical equipment, community kitchen, along with l i ke M a h a t m a G a n d h i , Willie Shirsat is AGNI's cooked food, etc. Most citizens sevaks of the Gurudwaras, to Lokmanya Tilak, Jyotirao Phule, Coordinator in R (North) MMJ would have liked to help, but provide 1000 food packets daily given the lockdown situation, for 90 days. Help poured in as they did not know whom to citizens knew that they were Celebrating Independence Day at approach and where to begin. donating money as well as Aarey Nutan Bhalla It was at this crucial juncture supplies to responsible and that our MLA, Ameet Satam, c o m m i t t e d e l e c t e d y country, my flag and I appealed for donations from representatives. Mwas all set to join the the public and was able to While battling Covid 19, the flag hoisting ceremonies, but garner a substantial amount in B M C a n d o u r e l e c t e d since Covid-19 looms over all just four days. The money representatives continued our activities I joined a group of collected paid for ration kits for monitoring all civic activities volunteers to walk the trails of several hundred families. Our like solid waste management, Aarey forest dispersing Councillor, Renu Hansraj, cleaning of storm water drains roundels of organic mud. without wasting time, reached as well as maintaining Juhu Seed bombing, as they refer out to the people of Ward 69 beach. On August 15 our MLA to it, is an initiative of the and provided beds for Covid inaugurated a CCTV project for NAATA foundation and Rotary Care Centres, sponsored by all arterial roads at 100 District 3141, in the tribal Decor. Help poured in from locations with four cameras at villages of Aarey. tribal welfare. every quarter with, among each location. This has been a NAATA since its inception in A total of 5000 seed bombs of others, 18,000 immunity well-thought out project to 2003 is dedicated to the various types like Bamboo and b o o s t i n g h o m e o p a t h i c reduce crime in the area. upliftment of tribals in the area. Shami were dispersed in MMJ medicines donated by Temple It is heartening to note that NAATA also has a presence in various padas of Aarey, on the Packaging, a community there is so much compassion Sanjay Gandhi National park o c c a s i o n o f t h e 7 4 t h kitchen which was run for 90 and generosity amongst us. and Goregaon. Seed balls are Independence day celebration. days by Utpal Sanghavi School Zahida Banatwalla is AGNI's prepared using red soil, cow They hope to disperse 10,000 Ananya 17 Rajveer 16 and Phantom Films, the Rotary Coordinator in K(w) ward dung, cow urine, chickpea flour seed bombs in the near future. MMJ and jaggery, into which one or Tanushree Venkatraman Club of Mumbai, Divas, the Returning home from Aarey residents of JVPD and the multiple seeds are ingrained, awakened a hope that all is not trustees of Jamnabai Narsee based on their size. Since the IMPORTANT NOTE lost and much as concretisation germination time span is a year School pitching in generously Due to Covid lockdown and so-called modernisation, to mitigate the distress of the therewill be no Print and the survival rate is 8 out of have surged ahead, it's not long people. Edition of Mumbai Meri 10 seeds the possibility of a before the Green Revolution Be it fashion designers, hotel Jaan September 2020 large number of seeds will take over and nature lovers owners or business houses, issue, flourishing into saplings is high. will rule the day. p e o p l e c a m e f o r w a r d only a digital Edition Each seed ball costs Rs 2 and Nutan Bhalla is AGNI's unhesitatingly to ease the the money collected is used for coordinator in L ward Mumbai Meri Jaan September 2020 3

The fight against Covid-19 Nature—the Supreme Teacher Anil Jain, Wadala (West) Citizens' Forum Sunanda Nadkarni e have been receiving 5. Most importantly, a 15-20 Nobody knows why God has created Nature calls from several W m i n u t e s ' e x e r c i s e o f But definitely by learning from it, people can change their nature. members saying that they are "Diaphragmatic Slow Deep Every flower waves on the tree in bliss constantly afraid of contracting Breathing", will take care of Not bothered whether it gets a kick or a kiss. corona virus despite taking due your respiratory system which Why can't people remain in bliss care. is the main target of corona When saints say that God has created people to enjoy bliss. We would like to assure you virus. It will keep you In spite of hurdles rivers flow to the ocean keeping in mind their from the reports we have been oxygenated, relax your mind goal receiving that Coronavirus is and give a good sense of well- Then why is it that people are totally unaware of their goals. just like any other influenza and being, thereby making your Rivers merge in the ocean in great numbers without limit gets cured by just doing some immune system strong enough Yet the ocean never crosses its limit basics and can be very to counter any kind of infection. Then why can't people remain in their limit effectively prevented if we do It is only in cases of And try to fulfill all that they commit. these basics on a regular basis. comorbidity or aggravated Trees give fruits without any discrimination 1. Steam inhalation to be done symptoms that one needs to be Why do people always think in terms of aggrandizing. once or twice daily even if you hospitalized. Daily the sun rises and sets, but it still does not cry. are not infected. Gargling with So all please do not have any But on thinking about death why do humans cry. hot water in case of slightest undue fears and at the same It is nice to see how crows eat throat discomfort. time follow social distancing They call their friends, share with them and then eat. 2. Take enough Vitamin C and sanitizing as is needed. If we want, we can learn a lot from Nature preferably from natural sources Also, there is a drastic fall in But alas, unfortunately, it is not in human nature. MMJ like citrus fruits. Also Zinc which the number of new cases in is found in nuts. F/North ward, thanks to our 3. Aayush kadha once daily. administration and Amey Goel, NEWS IN PICTURES in R/North Alternately "Hunza" tea. Use of BMC's Health Committee Events conducted by Nelson D’souza R/North Ginger, turmeric, pepper, etc. Chairman and Corporator of to be done. 178, who is doing a great job. 4. Homeo medicine "Arsenic The recovery rate is about 80% alb 30" or "Camphora 1M" to which is phenomenal. be taken, if not already done so. Stay Safe Stay Healthy MMJ

AWARENESS IN SOCIETY on Covid'19 prevention Ganesh Mandal felicitating for Covid'19 awareness

Distribution of groceries & medicine to the marginalized by Corporator/ MLA Door to door Covid'19 Cedric Miranda at OL ofSea Madh providing medecines testing Camp

A VERY BIG THANK YOU for Donations received in the month of August 2020: Mr. D. M. Sukthankar Rs.10,000/= Mr. Vijay Menon Rs. 8,000/= Jennifer Shetty Rs. 500/= Event conducted by Celine Patil distributing Food/ Jennifer Amanna Rs. 500/= groceries to the MIGRANTS & marginalized 4 Mumbai Meri Jaan September 2020 Project Mumbai receives United Any work from home, ideas to help Mumbaikers? – An interview with Shishur Joshi Nations award Contd. from Page 1 realize my once every few years, this time Contd. from Page 1 present worker would return home dreams…the City of Dreams! thanks to the Covid-19 crisis, non-profit, Project Mumbai, is hungry and its collaboration What's the magic that life for many in Mumbai has less than 20 months old but his with MCGM in six of the 24 Mumbai has that has made it been turned topsy-turvy. Can selfless and dedicated work has wards of Mumbai city for the India's premier business we (AGNI, you, me) think won him so many admirers that distribution of food grains, centre? I guess a respect that deeply and come up with ideas “in the last four months we groceries and vegetables Mumbaikers have for risk- that will create Work from have raised over 30 crores,” during the present Coronavirus taking and entrepreneurship H o m e e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l says Joshi proudly. “If an crisis. While these are just a few and a city whose residents are opportunities for the many organization like AGNI which of the remarkable initiatives for always willing to try new ideas. hundreds of thousands of has so much grassroots support which the non-profit is noted, Supporting AGNI, in the small Mumbaikers who have lost can give us a substantial Project Mumbai has also signed ways that I have done over the their jobs during the past few d o n at i o n , t h e n i t s ays an MOU with the BMC to years is for me a way to thank Covid months? something about us. We used establish a call centre for home Mumbai for all that it has done A j i t B a l a k r i s h n a n that donation to buy PPE kits quarantine patients. The call for me. ([email protected]) is an th for doctors in the Holy Spirit centre began its work on July 9 Once again, as it happens Internet entrepreneur fMroMmJ Hospital at Andheri (E). 2020. Incidentally, we have donated It has also collaborated with Bharat Utthan Sangh strives for the poor 200,000 PPE kits for doctors Western and Central Railway to Contd. from Page 1 of women and health care workers.” paint all the railway stations on towels etc. to etc. Project Mumbai's work spans both the Lines with images of poor families. When the pandemic began a substantial spectrum of Covid warriors in a vividly And the work the team provided lakhs of humanitarian work. The appreciative artistic gesture to goes on. food packets and meals to the organization has made deep those professionals who have The motto needy. The second initiative inroads into possibly every saved our lives. Joshi expects the of Advocate started by BUS is to supply sphere of social activity from project to be completed in a Rakesh Singh couple of months. groceries and rations to focusing on mental healthcare is a simple Shishir Joshi deeply believes families who have slipped into of senior citizens to its Khaana one "no one that “my work is like a relay effort poverty due to the current Chahiye initiative which should sleep from which people must learn dismal economic situation. provides cooked meals to over hungry". And and move ahead in the years to From April onwards BUS has 70,000 people every day, its he and his team are working come.” provided 16,000 ration kits of One Million Meals Mission tirelessly to make that happen. Pamela Cheema is AGNI's rice, wheat flour, pulses, salt, which ensured that no migrant Juhu is fortunate to have these Coordinator in S ward MMJ sugar, biscuits, soap, sanitary Covid Warriors! MMJ Patron To volunteer in AGNI or to form Advanced Locality Management D. M. Sukthankar (ALM) contact your respective Ward Coordinators below Board of Trustees AGNI Ward Coordinators

Convenor Gerson da Cunha

Trustees Capt. Joe Lobo Dinesh Ahir Sharad Kumar Shyama Kulkarni

Editorial Board Sharad Kumar [Editor] Pamela Cheema [Asstt. Editor] Gerson daCunha Shrikant Soman Shyama Kulkarni Email: [email protected] https://sites.google.com/site/ag nimumbaimerijaan/ Published by AGNI Chadha Bldg. 1st Flr, Plot No. 95, Wadala (W), Mumbai - 400031 [email protected] Ph: 2416 5956 www.agnimumbai.in

Printed at Audumber Press, Wadala